


In Sickness and in Health

by Umbr_el_on



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:21:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26351104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Umbr_el_on/pseuds/Umbr_el_on
Summary: His feelings for Ferdinand felt misguided. A vampire and a dryad would be quite the unusual pair. The cycle of life against the immortal, light against dark, nature against the inhuman. Despite it all, Dedue could not deny the way Ferdinand had found a place in his heart. Letting a sigh rush past his lips, Dedue took another sip of his drink and let his eyes slip shut.
Relationships: Ferdinand von Aegir/Dedue Molinaro
Comments: 8
Kudos: 12





	In Sickness and in Health

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Silverdrift](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silverdrift/gifts).



When the bell over the front door of _The Duscur Rose_ rang, Dedue looked up from the glass vase that he was washing to address the new customer. A standard greeting and polite nod bubbled in his mind and on his tongue, but those bubbles burst when he recognized long orange hair and a weary smile. Instead, Dedue set down the vase and opened a cabinet under the counter. As he pulled out a pitcher of nectar, Dedue let his lips curve into a soft smile. There was no better part of his day than when his favorite customer stopped by. He was a bit later than normal today, but Dedue was just relieved their routine wasn’t entirely broken.

“Hello, Ferdinand. The usual?” Dedue’s soft voice filled the otherwise quiet, empty shop.

The answer he got was the sound of a thud on the wood floor.

Jerking back, Dedue’s eyes landed on Ferdinand’s body, which was collapsed into a heap on the floor. Dedue slammed the pitcher down, ignoring the nectar that sloshed out, and rushed to Ferdinand’s side. Kneeling down and gathering Ferdinand in his arms, Dedue realized how sallow the man was, face twisted in discomfort. It looked like he hadn’t been in the sun all day. For a dryad, that was as bad as going a day without food. Though he’d pushed the limit before, it had never gotten this severe.

Scooping Ferdinand up, Dedue shuffled to the back of the shop. Instead of a storage area or a break room, Dedue’s room was there. While vampires did not need sleep, and thus Dedue’s room lacked a bed, he did have a couch onto which he lowered Ferdinand. Taking a moment to arrange Ferdinand into a comfortable position, Dedue wheeled over a sun lamp from his comically crowded “supernatural creature first aid” corner, and turned it on to shine over Ferdinand’s torso. It was all he could do for now. A glass of nectar would help once Ferdinand woke up, but it could take several hours for that to happen. It depended on how long Ferdinand had deprived himself of a basic need.

Sighing, Dedue resolved to care for himself in the meantime. Walking out to the counter once again, Dedue made quick work of closing _The Duscur Rose_ early. The evening was quiet and most of his regulars had already come through for the day. Satisfied with the door locked and lights turned down, Dedue poured himself a glass of blood replacement to sip on while he kept an eye on Ferdinand’s recovery. The metallic taste was familiar and soothing as Dedue returned to his room pulled up a chair, settling down next to Ferdinand.

The dryad’s skin already looked healthier, the yellowish hues giving way to pinks and reds. The lines on his face appeared shallower, his youthful glow seeping back in as exhaustion was driven away. Dedue chuckled, amazed at how the light prickled his skin in warning, reminding him how he’d burn if he stayed too close for too long, yet kept Ferdinand alive and well. It sent a pang of insecurity through his chest.

His feelings for Ferdinand felt misguided. A vampire and a dryad would be quite the unusual pair. The cycle of life against the immortal, light against dark, nature against the inhuman. Despite it all, Dedue could not deny the way Ferdinand had found a place in his heart. Letting a sigh rush past his lips, Dedue took another sip of his drink and let his eyes slip shut.

“Dedue?” A weak voice prompted Dedue to snap his eyes open not ten seconds later.

Ferdinand’s eyes were cracked open, confusion swirling in them as his eyes flickered around the room. Dedue realized this room was new. Standing up and walking closer to the couch, Dedue set a calming hand onto Ferdinand’s arm.

“You’re at _The Duscur Rose_ , in my room. You collapsed when you came in,” Dedue explained.

Ferdinand’s eyes widened a fraction. “Your room?”

Dedue was taken aback by the inquiry. Of all the things in that explanation that Ferdinand could latch onto, he chose the most unexpected. Dedue stammered, unprepared to address that detail. Stalling by setting his glass down, Dedue cleared his throat.

“Yes, you needed light. My first aid station is in here.” Dedue felt off-kilter.

“Oh,” Ferdinand paused, blinking himself further into consciousness, “thank you for taking care of me.”

“Of course. I do not wish to lose you,” Dedue answered, plain and simple, but revealing more than he wanted to.

Turning to look at Ferdinand, their gazes met and they lingered with a scant few inches between them. In the silence and proximity, something in the air was changing. Ferdinand’s face grew more pink by the second. Dedue knew his pulse would be pounding if he still had one.

Ferdinand broke the silence, a dreamy smile on his face. “It would pain me to leave you, Dedue.”

Ferdinand’s eyes flickered down to Dedue’s lips, but Dedue didn’t trust that Ferdinand was of sound mind so soon after waking up. Ignoring how much it ached to do so, Dedue righted himself. Disappointment flashed over Ferdinand’s features, but it melted away before it could cause Dedue too much anguish.

“I’m going to get you a glass of nectar.” Dedue turned stiffly and walked back into the store.

He wiped up the mess he’d made earlier while he tried to relax once more. The urge to kiss Ferdinand was powerful even now, but Dedue could not risk crossing a line. He especially could not risk doing so when Ferdinand wasn’t in any shape to make decisions. Shaking his head, Dedue tossed the dirty rag into a nearby hamper and poured a glass of nectar. The pale orange liquid sparkled in the glass, swirling like a cup full of orange juice and stars. Dedue wished he could taste it, but nectar was on a short list of foods that vampires couldn’t consume without subjecting themselves to violent illness.

Glass in hand and pitcher put away, Dedue returned to his room. Ferdinand was sitting up now, running his fingers through his hair and chewing on his lip. He spared Dedue a quick glance before averting his eyes. Dedue winced at the emotional distancing. Staying upright to create space, Dedue held the glass out without getting into Ferdinand’s personal bubble. Without a word, Ferdinand took the glass and sipped. Dedue sat back down and pondered what to do next.

“Dedue?” Ferdinand’s voice was faint even though much of its typical strength was back.

“Yes?”

“I did not mean to make you uncomfortable. I do not wish to lose you as a friend as a result of my lapse in control.” Ferdinand tapped his fingers against his glass, eyes still looking down at his lap.

Dedue’s eyes widened as the pieces of misunderstanding clicked together to make sense. “You did not make me uncomfortable, I merely wished to avoid taking advantage of you if you were still compromised.”

Ferdinand’s head whipped around to look at Dedue. They stared for another long moment before Ferdinand took another sip of nectar and set his glass down next to Dedue’s. Swinging his legs over the side, Ferdinand settled on the couch and his knees brushed against Dedue’s. Dedue once again felt the tension on the room, but Ferdinand looked more like himself this time.

“I assure you, I feel right as rain thanks to your care. However, I am left with one question: am I correct in my interpretation that you have a crush on me, as I do on you?”

Dedue chuckled softly at Ferdinand’s long-winded way of asking, but answered with an affirmative nod. Ferdinand brightened up at the gesture, glowing like the sun. It was the closest to basking in the light of day that Dedue had been in years. Rather than turn back towards flowery words, Ferdinand started leaning forward again. He moved slowly, eyes flickering wildly between Dedue’s eyes and lips.

This time, Dedue met him in the middle. The contact was light and shy, just a touching of lips over the space between them. Their knees pressed firmly into each other, lending them confidence as their lips started to dance together. The sweetness of Ferdinand’s lips was heaven. Dedue deepened the kiss and savored the sensation, electricity tingling down his spine. Ferdinand broke the kiss and laughed lightly while Dedue felt the tingling down his spine intensify despite the end of the kiss.

When the electricity exploded into a crack of pain, Dedue realized why Ferdinand tasted so sweet.

Grunting in pain, Dedue sat onto the couch next to Ferdinand. Ferdinand looked shocked and concerned, mouth hanging open and hands waving uselessly in the air.

“The nectar,” Dedue panted, unable to resist lying down and setting his head on Ferdinand’s lap.

“Oh, Goddess, forgive me!” Ferdinand exclaimed, understanding washing over his face.

Dedue didn’t have it in him to offer Ferdinand comfort. He felt like he was burning up, heat concentrated on his spine and spreading out to every inch of his being. The pain would be short-lived because the contact was so minimal, but every second of fire in his veins was one second more than he’d ever wish for. Looking up at Ferdinand, Dedue was surprised at the determination he saw.

“I did not intend to return the favor so soon, but it seems it is my turn to take care of you, Dedue.” Ferdinand gently shifted Dedue’s head and stood up.

Ferdinand set a pillow under Dedue’s head and patted his hair with a smile. Dedue basked in the moment of distraction from his illness. When Ferdinand turned away and began flipping through a handbook on supernatural first aid from Dedue’s corner, Dedue let his eyes slip shut. The comfort of knowing he had Ferdinand there at his side was a powerful first step towards wellness.

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi on [Twitter!](https://mobile.twitter.com/umbr_el_on) ✨💕


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